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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Contributed by Al Grazevich

USS Sylvania (AFS-2)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Mike - Yankee - Uniform
NMYU
JANAP Tactical Voice Radio Call Sign - Debark (T)ango - Section 6A of JANAP 119(F) 1968
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - Navy Unit Commendation - Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (2)
Second Row - Navy "E" Ribbon (2) - Navy Expeditionary Medal (4-Lebanon) - National Defense Service Medal (2)
Third Row - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (1-Lebanon) - Southwest Asia Service Medal (2) - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Mars Class Combat Stores Ship:
  • Laid down, 18 August 1962, at National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, CA.
  • Launched, 15 August 1963
  • Commissioned, USS Sylvania (AFS-2), 11 July 1964, CAPT. Bernard A. Lienhard USN, in command
  • Decommissioned, 26 May 1994
  • Laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 5 January 1995
  • Title transferred to the Maritime Administration, 28 July 2001, for lay up the Maritime Administration Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 1 October 2012, for $1,241,352, to All Star Metals, Brownsville, TX., removed 17 October 2012
    Specifications:
    Displacement 9,200 t.(lt) 17,500 t.(fl)
    Length 581'
    Beam 79'
    Draft 27' (max.)
    Speed 20 kts.
    Complement 485
    Aircraft two UH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
    Armament
    (As Built)
    four twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    (Upgraded)
    two twin 3"/50 dual purpose gun mounts
    two Close In Weapons Systems (CIWS)
    four .50 cal. machine guns
    Propulsion
    one De Laval turbine
    three Babcock and Wilcox boilers, 580psi
    single propeller
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Sylvania 103k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way, circa spring 1964, probably during builders trials prior to commissioning.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, November 1968.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Sylvania
    09520250    		 102k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) underway at sea, circa 1964.
    National Archives Identifier: (NAID) 6928572    		 Robert Hurst
    Aldebaran 89k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) and USS Aldebaran (AF-10) conducting underway replenishment exercises at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 25 September 1964, their shakedown cruises.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, January 1965.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Sylvania 346k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) moored at Genoa, Italy, 14 May 1965. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Springfield 278k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) delivering stores while under way alongside USS Springfield (CLG-7) in the Mediterranean Sea, circa 1965. William C. Swisher
    Sylvania 647k Series of four photos depicting USS Sylvania (AFS-2) during an underway replenishment operation with USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42 and USS Charles R. Ware (DD-865) in the Mediterranean Sea, in 1965 William C. Swisher USN CTR3 USS Springfield1962-66
    Sylvania 467k
    Sylvania 452k
    Sylvania 794k
    Sylvania 124k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way during the mid-1960s, location unknown.
    US Navy photo.    		 Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 77k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) conducting a (VERTREP) Vertical Replenishment employing her two Boeing (UH-46D) helicopters while under way in the Mediterranean Sea, late-1960s. In the distance USS Shasta (AE-6) is conducting a (RAS) Replenishment at Sea with two destroyers. Photo by Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 105k One of the two (UH-46) helicopters deployed with USS Sylvania (AFS-2) conducting a (VERTREP) Vertical Replenishment while under way in the Mediterranean Sea, late-1960s. Photo by Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 121k Netted pallets of material sit on the flight deck of USS Sylvania (AFS-2) ready for transfer via VERTREP in the Mediterranean Sea, late 1960s. Photo by Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 83k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) conducting a VERTREP in the Mediterranean Sea in 1967
    US Navy photo.    		 Tommy Trampp
    CVA-38 + AFS-2 + CVA-62 100k

    On 25 June 1968 the U.S. Sixth Fleet celebrated its 20th anniversary with a close formation, an air power demonstration, a 20-gun salute and a pass-in-review. The crews of (top to bottom)USS Independence (CVA-62), USS Sylvania (AFS-2) and USS Shangri-La (CVA-38) spell out "POWER FOR PEACE", Sixth Fleet's motto.

    		 Rebecca Parnell
    Sylvania 112k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) entering Grand Harbour, Valletta, in 1968.
    Photo © R.R.J. Payia, Malta.    		 Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 144k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) in dry dock at Valletta, Malta, 27 November to 11 December 1968. Sylvania was drydocked for hull scraping and painting. Photo by Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 95k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) leaving Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta in April 1968. Photo by Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 62k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) utilizing her two (UH-46) helicopters to conduct a VERTREP with an aircraft carrier, Mediterranean Sea, 1968. Photo by Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 549k Bow on view of USS Sylvania (AFS-2) taken from one of her (UH-46) helicopters during a VERTREP in the Mediterranean Sea, 1968. Photo by Jim Gabler SK2 USS Sylvania
    Sylvania 123k Recovered wreckage of an HC-6 helicopter assigned to USS Sylvania (AFS-2) during her Mediterranean deployment in the Spring of 1969. When the helicopter arrived over the ship to make a delivery the front rotor blade hit one of the ships antennas. The Dets second helicopter rescued the crew from the water. The crew had only cuts, and bruises. A Navy Salvage ship later recovered the helicopter from the ocean and this was what was left. If anyone recalls the crew names of that morning please contact Barry Buchanan at bbrandd@roadrunner.com. Barry Buchanan HC-6
    Sylvania 148k
    Sylvania 114k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, April 1970.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Sylvania 73k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way in the Mediterranean Sea, 26 August 1957. © Richard Leonhardt
    Sylvania 92k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way, date and location unknown.  
    Sylvania 128k (from right to left) USS Sylvania (AFS-2), USS Concord (AFS-5) and USS San Diego (AFS-6) under way, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Concord 56k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) and USS Concord (AFS-5) moored together at Malta, date unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Sylvania 49k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way, date and location unknown. Richard Miller BMCS USNR (Ret)
    Sylvania 56k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) in port, Halifax, Nova Scotia, date unknown. Photo by Peter Wilson
    Sylvania 141k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) in a Mediterranean moor, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, August 1971.    		 Stanley C. Svec
    Sylvania 85k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way in the Mediterranean Sea, August 1976 © Richard Leonhardt
    Sylvania 85k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) in port. Barcelona, Spain, 1 March 1977. Note, as of the date of this photo, Sylvania still retained her original four twin 3"/50 gun mounts, with Mk.56 directors, while her SPS-40 air search radar had been removed. Photo by Fabio Peña
    Sylvania 72k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) in port. Barcelona, Spain, 11 March 1977. USNS Rigel (T-AF 58) is alongside, her masts and superstructure (note the MSC crest on her funnel) are partly visible. Photo by Fabio Peña
    CV-43 Coral Sea 292k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) replenishes USS Coral Sea (CV-43), circa 1981–83. Note the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter between the two ships (right of the photo) transferring stores. James E Lockard USN Retired
    Sylvania 292k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way, 1 March 1982, location unknown.
    US Navy photo by PH1 Cline, USN. now in the collections of U.S. DefenseImagery photo # VIRIN: DN-SC-88-09134    		 Robert Hurst
    Sylvania 85k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) preparing to get under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1986.    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    Sylvania 71k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1986.    		 Tom Langford
    Sylvania
    09520245    		 124k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) during a VERTREP with USS El Paso (LKA-117) while underway in the Mediterranean Sea in 1988 during MARG 1-88 (February - August). Photo by LCDR Ernest E. Nix Jr., USN (Ret) taken from USS El Paso (LKA-117)
    Sylvania
    09520248    		 212k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) conducting a vertical replenishment with the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in the Mediterranean Sea, 1 February 1988.
    National Archives Identifier: 6450708 a US Navy photo from the National Archives at College Park    		 Robert Hurst
    Sylvania
    09520249    		 381k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) underway at sea, in 1989.
    National Archives Identifier: 6440886, US Departent of Defense # DN-SC-89-09063 from the National Archives at College Park    		 Robert Hurst
    Sylvania
    09520247    		 358k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) conducts an underway replenishment with USNS Southern Cross (T-AK-285) during the 1991 Gulf War.
    U.S. Navy All Hands magazine April 1991, p. 33    		 Robert Hurst
    Sylvania 67k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) under way during a VERTREP, date and location unknown. Robert Hurst
    Sylvania 427k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) moored pierside at Genoa, Italy, 9 May 1992. Photo by Carlo Martinelli
    Sylvania 129k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) underway, date and location unknown. Tommy Trampp
    Sylvania
    09520246    		 249k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) underway off Norfolk, VA., date unknown.
    ©Nobe Smith    		 Nicholas Tiberio
    Hue City 1.3m USS Sylvania (AFS-2) and the guided missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG-66) conduct an underway replenishment off the Virginia Capes, 1 December 1993.
    US DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-SC-94-01472, US Navy photo    		 Robert Hurst
    Sylvania 345k USS Sylvania (AFS-2) Helicopter Combat Support Squadron SIX (HSC-6 Det 97 patch Tommy Trampp
    Sylvania 163k Decommissioned USS Sylvania (AFS-2) and APL-19 moored at Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1995 . View looking south-southwest of dry dock caisson No. 2.
    Library of Congress photo, HAER PA,51-PHILA,709B—8    		 Mike Green
    Iwo Jima 1088k
    An aerial view of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard looking west/northwest, 30 October 1995. The shipyard closed, 30 September 1995, but the Navy Intermediate Ship Maintenance Facility (NISMF) continues to store decommissioned ships. Vessels visible , left to right: the battleships USS Iowa (BB-61), and USS Wisconsin (BB-64) at the DD wharf; USS Sylvania (AFS-2), USS Milwaukee (AOR-2) and USS Savannah (AOR-4) at pier 5; the aircraft carriers USS Forrestal (CV-59) and USS Saratoga (CV-60); at pier 4; the amphibious assault ships USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) and USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7) at pier 2. In the back pool is the heavy cruiser USS Des Moines (CA-134) and numerous destroyers and frigates.DOD photo # DN-SC-97-00422 PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (30 October 1995), a US Navy photo by Robert J. Sitar, now in the collections of Defense Imagery.mil.    		 Robert M. Cieri
    Sylvania 76k USS Sylvania (AFS-2), USS Milwaukee (AOR-2), USS Savannah (AOR-4), and USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) moored together at Wharf L, Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, in November 1999. Photo from "Warship Boneyards" by Kit and Carolyn Bonner (Author's Collection). Robert Hurst
    MARAD James River Group Reserve Fleet
    Cape Mendocino 51k From left to right; SS Cape Mendocino (AKR-5064) ex USS Shenandoah (AD-44) and ex USS Sylvania (AFS-2), rafted together in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, Lee Hall, VA., 8 April 2009 Photo by Mike Hibbard
    Cape Mendocino 103k
    Sylvania 96k View of the decommissioned USS Sylvania (AFS-2) navigation bridge while moored in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, James River Group, date unknown. Ron Reeves
    Sylvania 90k Decommissioned USS Sylvania (AFS-2) being removed from the James River Reserve Fleet anchorage, 17 October 2012, for transit to Brownsville, TX . for scrapping Ron Reeves
    Sylvania 89k Ex-USS Sylvania (AFS-2) makes her last voyage in October 2012 on the end of a towline from tug Miss-Liz-Leslie while bound for Brownsville, TX. and scrapping. Ron Reeves
    USS Sylvania (AFS-2)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Lienhard, Bernard Aloysius11 July 1964 - 18 January 1966
    02CAPT. McVey, William Jefferson18 January 1966 - 7 April 1967
    03CAPT. Bartlett, Albert Jack, USN7 April 1967 - 28 August 1968
    04CAPT. Fitton, Cyrus Falconer28 August 1968 - 19 August 1969
    05CAPT. Messere, Edward James, USN (USNA 1949)19 August 1969 - 11 June 1971
    06CAPT. Linder, James Benjamin :RADM11 June 1971 - 1 September 1972
    07CAPT. Roberts, Gerald Grey1 September 1972 - 16 August 1974
    08CAPT. Mitchell, John Robert Cummings16 August 1974 - 15 August 1975
    09CAPT. Booth, Peter Blake :RADM15 August 1975 - 1 March 1977
    10CAPT. Freeman Jr., Linus Walter1 March 1977 - 28 February 1979
    11CAPT. Cargill, Denny Bruce :RADM28 February 1979 - 11 June 1980
    12CAPT. Stoeckel, Anthony Wayne11 June 1980 - 11 July 1981
    13CAPT. Chrisman Jr., John Aubrey, USN (USNA 1958)11 July 1981 - 22 July 1981
    14CAPT. Adams, John Warren (Jack), USN (USNA 1958) :RADM22 July 1981 - 6 December 1982
    15CAPT. Tucker Jr., Robert Eugene (Gene)6 December 1982 - 5 June 1984
    16CAPT. Needham, William Ray (Buzz)5 June 1984 - 28 March 1986
    17CAPT. Wisely, Hugh Dennis :RADM28 March 1986 - 24 October 1987
    18CAPT. Ewing, Kent Walker24 October 1987 - 5 May 1989
    19CAPT. Kennedy, William Henry5 May 1989 - 21 November 1990
    20CAPT. Simmons, Edward John21 November 1990 - 7 August 1992
    21CAPT. Baker, Timothy Louis7 August 1992 - 26 April 1994
    22LCDR. Beyer, William Scott26 April 1994 - 26 May 1994
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
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    Last Updated 15 June 2023